Island



(No Model.)

M. M. CLARKE.

GAR GO'UPLING.

No. 429,886. Patented June 10, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILO M. CLARKE, OF WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,886, dated June 10,1890.

Application filed March 18, 1890. Serial No. 344,355. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, MILO M. CLARKE, of IVesterly, in the county ofWashington and State of Rhode Island, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Car-Couplers; and I hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in the draw-head forrailroad-cars, by which two cars can be automatically couppled together.

The invention consists in providing a drawhead with a bell-shaped endterminating in a cavity, in which two blocks are placed, each one ofwhichhas a semi-spherical cavity,which, when the blocks are united,forms a spherical cavity in which the ball of the connecting-linkenters, a funn el-shaped cavity formed in the forward end of the blocks,and a locking-fork, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the lower half of the draw-head. The blocksand locking-fork are shown in section. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section of the draw-head through the center. Fig. 3 is an end viewof the drawhead, showing a hand-lever for raising the lockingfork.

Similar numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the number 5 indicates one end of a connecting-linkused for connecting the draw-heads of two cars together. Theseconnecting-links may consist of a rod, on'both ends of which thespherical ball 6 is formed; or they may consist of a link, one or bothends of which are united into a short rod and provided with a ball 6.When the two cars to be secured together are provided with my improveddraw-head, the link 5 is provided at each end with the ball 6', and toenable a car provided with my improved draw-head to be coupled with acar having the usual pin-andloop draw-head a loop draw-head providedwith a ball 6 at one end is carried 011 each car, as is shown in Fig. 3.

For convenience in construction the drawhead is made in two partssecured together, the part 7 being the lower half and the part 8 theupper half. The end of the draw-head is cupped, having the bell-shapedconcavity 9, ending in the cylindrical opening 10, constructed so thatin moving two cars together the ball of the link secured to onedraw-head will be guided into the central cylindrical opening 10 by thebell-shaped concavity 9.

The blocks 11 are of approximately rectangular form, the two blockstogether forming a cube slightly wider horizontally at the rear end. Theblocks face each other on the line 12. The centers of the sphericalcavity 13, the funnel-shaped cavity 14:, the cylindrical opening 10, andthe bell-shaped cavity 9 are all on the line 12. The blocks 11 areplaced into the recess 15, formed in the upper and lower half of thedraw-head. This recess 15 is of butterfly shape in its horizontal plan,as is shown in Fig. 1, the inner face of the recess, at right angles tothe axial line of the draw-head, being of a width sufficient to receivethe widest end of the two blocks 11, the said recess enlarging towardthe bellshaped cavity or forward end of the draw-head, so that theblocks may be opened or spread laterally to receive the ball 6, as isshown in Fig. 1 in broken lines.

The upper half 8 of the draw-head is provided with two vertical slots,through which the two arms 16 of the fork 17 pass to lock the blocks 11and hold the ball 6 on the link 5. These arms 16extend the height of theblocks 11 between the blocks and the outer walls of therecess 15. Thelever 18 may be pivoted in the bracket 19, connected at one end with thefork 1.7 and provided at the other end with a handle, so that inseparating two cars the fork 17 may be raised without enteringbetweenthe cars, when the blocks 11 will open by drawing on the connectinglink5 and release the ball 6. The arms 16 of the fork 17 will now rest onthe blocks, and will be held in the raised position, ready forconnection with another car.

The operation of coupling is as follows: A connecting or coupling link,provided with a ball 6 at its projecting end, being secured in thedraw-head of one car will, on two cars being brought together, be guidedby the bellshaped cavity or cup 9 into the cylindrical opening 10 andpass into the spherical cavity 13, half of which is formed in the openblocks 11. The momentum forces the ball 6 against the wall of thespherical opening, the blocks 11 will turn on their outer corners as apivot and close around the ball 6, and the arms 16 willbe released andfall between the blocks and the walls of the recess 15, thus firmlylocking the blocks and holding the link against any direct pull orstrain. The link is free to adjust itself to variation in height, aswell as laterally, the connections being a universal ball-an d-socketjoint.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. An automatic car-coupler consisting of aconnecting-link having a ball at the forward end and a draw-headprovided with a flaring opening. to guide the ball, two blocks having aspherical opening formed half in each block, and a locking-forkconstructed to automatically inclose the ball and lock the same, asdescribed.

2. The combination, with the draw-head, of

a railroad-car provided with a flaring opening to receive thecoupling-pin, of the blocks 11, provided with the spherical cavity 13and the locking-fork 17, and the link 5, provided with the ball 6,constructed to automatically secure the coupling-link and lock theblocks, as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the link 5 and ball (5, ofthe draw-head 'provided with the bell-shaped cup, the cylindricalopening 10, the recess 15, the blocks 11, having the spherical cavity13, and the funnel-shaped opening 14, the locking-fork 17, and the lever18, constructed to release the coupling-link and connect the same withthe draw-head automatically, as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MILO M. CLARKE. Witnesses:

J. A. MILLER, Jr., M. F. BLIGH.

